List of Chuvashes
A Chuvash is a member of the Chuvash people, an ethnic group living in Russia.
Historical figures
Leaders and politicians
- Vakrim (15th century) - Chuvash noble who left Golden Horde to become a vassal of Vasily the Blind.
- Mĕtri Căvaš (16th century) - hero of the siege of Kazan. Descendant of mărsa Vakrim, ancestor of Gavrila Derzhavin.
- Kamaj (16th century) - Chuvash mărsa at the service of Khan of Kazan who defected to the Russian side.
- Aransajpik (17th century) - Chuvash noble at Russian service who was granted 300 desiatinas of land around Şĕrpü (Tsivilsk).
- Tanil El'men (1885–1932) - Chuvash statesman, first leader of Chuvash autonomy in Soviet Russia.
- Nikolay Fyodorov (b. 1958) - former president of Chuvashia.
Military figures
- Iskej Pajtulĕ (17th century) - Chuvash poet, ataman (colonel) in the army of Stenka Razin.
- Vasily Chapayev
Religious figures
- Valĕm Huşa (12th century) - Volga Bulgar Muslim saint, highly revered by Chuvashes.
- Mehmet Huşa Celepi (16th century) - Chuvash convert to Islam, hajji (religious pilgrim) and scholar.
- Nikita Bichurin (1777–1853) - Christian archimandrite, orientalist.
Academic figures
Educators
- Ivan Yakovlev (1848–1930) - Chuvash patriarch, inventor of modern Chuvash alphabet.
- Gennady Volkov (1927-2010) — Chuvash educator, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, founder of the ethnopedagogics.
Linguists
- Atner Husankaj (b. 1948) - linguist and philologist, first president of Chuvash National Congress. Son of writer Petĕr Husankaj.
Orientalists
- Nikita Bichurin (see above) - famous orientalist, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Founder of Russian sinology.
Cultural figures
Actors and actresses
- Tany Youne (1903–1977) - first Chuvash theater actress, the first Chuvash film actress.
- Boris Markov - actor, famous music director, People's Artist of the Russia and Chuvash ASSR.
Architects
- Pyotr Yegorov (1731–1789) - author of the railing of Summer Garden.
Ballet dancers
- Nadezhda Pavlova (b. 1956) - famous ballet dancer, People's Artist of the USSR.
Musicians
- Alexey Aygi (b. 1971) - musician, son of Gennady Aygi.
Painters
- Nikolai Ovchinnikov (1918–2004) - People's Painter of the RSFSR and Chuvashia.
- Praski Vitti (b. 1936) - Chuvash painter and illustrator.
Sculptors
- Gerasim Pileš (1913–1994) - writer, playwright, sculptor and graphicist.
Writers and poets
- Emine (19th century) - most famous Chuvash woman poet.
- Kĕştenttin Ivanov (1890–1915) - outstanding poet, author of "Narspi".
- Şeşpĕl Mišši (1899–1922) - pioneer of Chuvash syllabotonic poetry.
- Dimitri Isayev (1905–1930) - prolific writer and literary critic.
- Ille Tuktaš (1907–1957) - Chuvash writer, poet and folklorist, author of the anthem of Chuvashia.
- Anat Serep (1920–2003) - World War II veteran, writer.
- Alexander Artemiev (1924–1998) - people's poet, writer and translator.
- Arkady Malov (1928–1995) - Chuvash writer, journalist and translator.
- Gennady Aygi (1934–2006) - famous poet and translator, father of Russian surrealist poetry.
- Boris Căntăk (b. 1960) - talented writer, playwright and poet.
- Vasley Mitta (1908–1957) - poet and translator.
Other figures
Cosmonauts
- Andriyan Nikolayev (1929–2004) - third Soviet cosmonaut, fifth man in space.
Sportspersons
- Svetlana Chirkova-Lozovaya (b. 1945) - fencer, two times olympic champion in foil team competition (1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich).
- Valery Yardy (b. 1948) - cyclist, winner of a team race at 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich.
- Yelena Nikolayeva (b. 1966) - race walker, champion of 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
- Olimpiada Ivanova (b. 1970) - race walker, silver medalist of 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Irina Kalentyeva (b. 1977) - professional mountain bike racer, bronze medalist of 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.